Even though we're far from October and Halloween, there are plenty of terrifying characters in Splinterlands, and I love that. So, get ready for a spooky illustration on this May night.

This week, for the contest, I wanted to paint something scary. I was thinking of doing a fan art of the possessed puppet, but when I looked for its card and lore in Splinterlands, I couldn't find it anywhere. So, if you're a player, let me know if the card is no longer available, or if I just need to get my eyes checked. Since I couldn't find the possessed doll, I went for another terrifying character, the Wailing Wraith, the haunting specter of the swamp who undoubtedly would love to relieve you of that privilege you call life. So, come and see how I've painted someone who wants you to stop breathing.

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Tools:

Gaomon S620
Photoshop
Brushes courtesy of Imad Awan: Download here

🔰Process🔰

_Reference

-Step 1:

Even though the canvas has a 16:9 aspect ratio, the character's framing is actually 1:1. However, using 16:9 gives the artwork a sense of spaciousness. That's why I positioned the Wailing Wraith to one side, creating the illusion that it extends across the entire canvas.

-Step 2:

I wanted her environment to be very, very dark, so I initially gave the background a strong blue tone, which still didn't get too close to the final darkness, but it helped me manage the colors of the character. It allowed me to adjust my eye to the cold and dark illumination I wanted to achieve.

-Step 3:

I focused on the Wailing Wraith's body, keeping its mouth closed so it wouldn't feel like I was painting the same thing I saw in Splinterlands' original art. However, I still managed to create a macabre smile that goes well with the deathly aura surrounding this character. And yes, I didn't want to make its body too skeletal and skinny; I went for something larger to draw attention to.

-Step 4:

To keep the focus on the character and its ghostly aura intact, the background was kept very minimalist. I used a chain brush to trace chains around it and then blurred the ones closest to the camera. Additionally, I found a human skeleton image and used photobashing to integrate it into the illustration as a minor detail, barely visible in the background. I also painted the gold metal pieces with a greenish tone to fit with the overall cool color palette of the illustration. Finally, using a very soft brush, I added some touches of blue mist around the hair to make it look as ghostly as possible.